Bob Corker: senator from tenness mr. cor -- mr. corker: i'm pleased to join the distinguished senator from virginia, former secretary of the navy, in this resolution, along with senator lee from utah. i look forward to a debate of this resolution next week, which i hope will end up passing both bodies and cause numbers of answers that we have been

Bob Corker: requesting to come forth. mr. corker: i want to discuss the ongoing situation in libya where specifically u.s. participation in nato military operations authorized by the united nations security council resolution passed on march 17, 2011. for those of you listening, you have heard me correctly. it was authorized by the united

Bob Corker: nations, not the u.s. congress. we're spending roughly roughly $2 million per day on a mission which the president has yet to broadly consult congress. i find it unbelievable that the president would seek the approval of the united nations and the arab league for military operations over libya while sidelining the body that speaks

Bob Corker: for the american people, not even answering our questions. this is not consolation, nor is the president heeding the concerns of his own constituents. for many weeks now, i and many colleagues, for that matter, have attempted to gain answers to some of the most basic questions about what we are doing in libya. through hearings in the foreign

Bob Corker: relations committee, we have not received these answers. we have asked for specific witnesses and received no response. this is not consultation. in my ongoing attempts to receive answers to these questions, i sent a letter to secretary clinton and secretary gates on april 14, 2011,

Bob Corker: specifically outlining five questions. i have the letter here and ask unanimous consent to enter this letter into the record. mr. president, i ask unanimous consent -- the presiding officer: without objection. mr. corker: thank you, mr. president. today, one day shy of eight weeks later, i finally received

Bob Corker: a response. this response didn't come from secretary clinton, it didn't come from secretary gates. this response came from the acting assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs and only paid lip service to one of my five specific requests for information. mr. president, i ask unanimous

Bob Corker: consent to enter this nonresponse into the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. corker: mr. president, this is unacceptable. this is an unacceptable way to treat a co-equal branch of the u.s. government that has granted certain responsibilities to our armed forces by the founders of our country. without these answers, members

Bob Corker: of congress are unable to assess critical questions in debate of whether we should continue to engage in military operations in libya. this is why i'm pleased to join my colleagues, senator webb and senator lee, in introducing senate joint resolution 18 today. this is a joint resolution drawing on language that has already passed the house of

Bob Corker: representatives last week, and it requires the president to answer 21 questions critical to determining whether engagement in libya is in the vital national interests of the united states. this joint resolution further expresses a sense of congress that the president should request authorization from

Bob Corker: congress for the continuation of the united states involvement in ongoing nato activities in libya. and it says that congress should fully debate and consider such a request in an expedient manner. mr. president, i can't imagine there is anybody in this body that would not like to debate this issue on the floor regardless of how they may feel

Bob Corker: about this conflict. mr. president, we owe it to every man and woman who puts on a uniform to serve our country and to every taxpayer who funds the operations to be clear that our entry into any conflict has been thoughtfully considered, contains clear justification, a clear mission and a clear debate

Bob Corker: of the risk and benefits. the information sought by this joint resolution will help us meet those obligations. i look forward to the senate considering this joint resolution in the near future, hopefully next week. mr. president, with that, i yield the floor and absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.